Charging Conundrums: Navigating the Best Practices for Your EV’s LFP Battery

What is the recommended frequency for recharging your electric vehicle's LFP battery?

Manufacturers of electric vehicles are opting for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in budget-friendly models, and these batteries can thrive on a charging routine that differs from the one typically applied to the more prevalent nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery types.

In a new video by Engineering Explained, it's noted that car manufacturers are advising varied optimal methods for maintaining their EVs with LFP batteries. For instance, the instruction booklet for the Ford Mustang Mach-E suggests that users should charge their vehicles up to full capacity and adjust the charge setting to reach 100% at minimum on a monthly basis. Similarly, Tesla has advised owners of its LFP battery cars to charge fully, which contrasts with the usual recommendations for vehicles with NMC batteries.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Edition

Fully powering up LFP batteries assists in estimating the leftover power, typically gauged by voltage. The voltage curve for LFP batteries remains relatively consistent across various charge levels. However, when they are charged to full capacity, there's a noticeable increase in voltage that helps in pinpointing the exact level of charge remaining.

A new research paper featured in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society has highlighted that higher levels of battery charge can cause increased wear and tear on the battery itself. The research pinpointed the level of charge as the key element that affects the rate at which battery capacity diminishes, with elevated charge levels speeding up this deterioration.

Engineering Explained advises that EV owners with LFP batteries should charge their vehicles only as required. Research indicates that these batteries experience less wear when charged completely from empty rather than just topping up from 75%. Hence, it's better to skip short charging sessions that begin with a mostly full battery in LFP models, unlike with NMC batteries. However, it's crucial to avoid allowing the battery to completely deplete to 0%, as this can cause irreversible harm to the battery cells.

This guidance will become increasingly pertinent as a greater number of car manufacturers start incorporating LFP batteries into electric vehicles intended for the American market. Not only Ford and Tesla, but also Rivian has mentioned intentions to adopt LFP batteries soon. However, these batteries were not included in the newly released, more affordable models of the R1S and R1T as was expected.

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